Identify a GSE and create a learning performance that combines evidence of understanding a critical concept with writing a good scientific explanation for a topic in your next unit. Provide a link in your description to the appropriate GSE.
Create a specific rubric for this scientific explanation.
Describe a difficulty or misconception that this activity might surface.
Describe you might use this assignment to provide formative feedback to your students.
GSE PS! 2a-2b
GSE: PS1 - All living and nonliving things are composed of matter having characteristic properties that distinguish one substance from another (independent of size or amount of substance). PS1 (5-8) INQ+POC –2 Given data about characteristic properties of matter (e.g., melting and boiling points, density, solubility) identify, compare, or classify different substances. PS1 (5-6) –2 Students demonstrate an understanding of characteristic properties of matter by … 2a recognizing that different substances have properties, which allow them to be identified regardless of the size of the sample. 2b classifying and comparing substances using characteristic properties (e.g., solid, liquid,gas).
Demonstrating That Air Has Mass
Students are presented with the problem of designing an experiment to demonstrate that air has mass. To solve the problem, students will apply concepts they have learned about the properties of air.
Students will devise a plan that allows them to show that an inflated balloon has greater mass than a balloon that is not inflated.
Activity 1
Students are presented with a list of materials and have to make a drawing (and label) showing how they would use this material to set up your demonstration. After their drawing they have to state their idea in an "If" and "then" statement to describe their claim.
Activity 2
Students are presented with another worksheet. "Hint: Think of a way that you could make a balance with a piece of string and a meter stick, then use your balance to compare the mass of two balloons. Make two drawings below, showing how your setup looked before and after you used it. Use labels and arrows to show the changes that occured. The last part of this worksheet asks students to use their diagram of their demonstration as a reference to explain their reasoning that shows their experiment demonstrates that air has mass.
Rubric
4
3
2
1
Designing the
Experiment
The student's hypothesis and drawing represent an experimental design that would demonstrate effectively that air has mass.
The student's hypothesis and drawing represent an experimental design that has a minor error but is easily corrected so that it would demonstrate that air has mass.Students make an accurate but incomplete claim.
The student's hypothesis and drawing represent a flawed experimental design that would not demonstrate that air has mass. Their claim is inaccurate.
The student tries but fails to develop
a hypothesis, drawing, or claim for an
experimental design that demonstrates
that air has mass.
Concept
Understanding
The student demonstrates a mastery of the concepts that underlie the experiment including the concept that air has mass.The student's reasoning is supported using accurate, complete, appropriate, and sufficient scientific principles.
Th e student demonstrates an adequate undrstanding of the concepts that underlie the experiement, including the concept that air has mass. The student's reasoning uses appropriate and sufficient evidence.
The student demonstrates a partial understanding of the concepts that underlie the experiment, including the concept that air has mass. The student applied insufficient evidence.
The student demonstrates very little
understanding of the concepts that
underlie the experiemnt, including the
concept that air has mass. The
student provides no evidence or
reasoning that they understand
the concept.
A misconception may be that students will not understand that air has mass. If they cannot see air then they may not think it has mass.
I will use the two activity worksheets (their hypothesis, drawings, and reasoning) to assess this and provide formative feedback to the students. The drawings will help me to understand their thought process and the concepts that we may have to re-teach or review.
GSE PS! 2a-2b
GSE:
PS1 - All living and nonliving things are composed of matter having characteristic properties that distinguish one substance from another (independent of size or amount of substance).
PS1 (5-8) INQ+POC –2 Given data about characteristic properties of matter (e.g., melting and boiling points, density, solubility) identify, compare, or classify different substances.
PS1 (5-6) –2 Students demonstrate an understanding of characteristic properties of matter by …
2a recognizing that different substances have properties, which allow them to be identified regardless of the size of the sample.
2b classifying and comparing substances using characteristic properties (e.g., solid, liquid,gas).
Demonstrating That Air Has Mass
Students are presented with the problem of designing an experiment to demonstrate that air has mass. To solve the problem, students will apply concepts they have learned about the properties of air.
Students will devise a plan that allows them to show that an inflated balloon has greater mass than a balloon that is not inflated.
Activity 1
Students are presented with a list of materials and have to make a drawing (and label) showing how they would use this material to set up your demonstration. After their drawing they have to state their idea in an "If" and "then" statement to describe their claim.
Activity 2
Students are presented with another worksheet. "Hint: Think of a way that you could make a balance with a piece of string and a meter stick, then use your balance to compare the mass of two balloons. Make two drawings below, showing how your setup looked before and after you used it. Use labels and arrows to show the changes that occured. The last part of this worksheet asks students to use their diagram of their demonstration as a reference to explain their reasoning that shows their experiment demonstrates that air has mass.
Rubric
Experiment
a hypothesis, drawing, or claim for an
experimental design that demonstrates
that air has mass.
Understanding
understanding of the concepts that
underlie the experiemnt, including the
concept that air has mass. The
student provides no evidence or
reasoning that they understand
the concept.
I will use the two activity worksheets (their hypothesis, drawings, and reasoning) to assess this and provide formative feedback to the students. The drawings will help me to understand their thought process and the concepts that we may have to re-teach or review.